Dynamic calibration of reservoir simulation models using pattern recognition

Abstract

Methods for validating reservoir simulation models can include determining one or more time segments of fluid recovery of a reservoir; generating, for a first time segment, one or more streamlines on a full simulation grid corresponding to the reservoir by performing one or more reservoir simulations; generating, for the first time segment, one or more drainage volumes; generating, for the first time segment, grid regions along one or more no-flow boundaries of the one or more drainage volumes; generating, for the first time segment, sector models corresponding to the grid regions; performing, for the first time segment, a history matching process corresponding to a time phase simultaneously on each of the sector models to generate, for each sector model, a history matching output; and comparing, for the first time segment and for each sector model, the history matching output for that sector model to a tolerance threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for validating reservoir simulation models, comprising:
 determining one or more distinctive time segments of fluid recovery of a reservoir by analyzing a production history of the reservoir; 
 generating, for a first time segment of the one or more distinctive time segments, one or more streamlines on a full simulation grid corresponding to the reservoir by performing one or more reservoir simulations; 
 generating, for the first time segment, one or more drainage volumes by performing image analysis and compression on the streamlines; 
 generating, for the first time segment, a plurality of grid regions along one or more no-flow boundaries of the one or more drainage volumes; 
 executing, using a grid and sector module, a model-splitting phase that splits the full simulation grid along the one or more no flow boundaries corresponding to each of the one or more drainage volumes; 
 generating, for the first time segment, a plurality of sector models corresponding to the plurality of grid regions based on a splitting of the full simulation grid executed using the grid and sector module; 
 concurrently performing, for the first time segment, a history matching process corresponding to a time phase on each of the plurality of sector models; 
 generating, for each sector model of the plurality of sector models, a history matching output in response to performing the history matching process; and 
 comparing, for the first time segment and for each sector model of the plurality of sector models, the history matching output for that sector model to a tolerance threshold. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, for the first time segment and based on the comparing, whether the history matching output for every sector model of the plurality of sector models satisfies the tolerance threshold; and 
 reconstructing, for the first time segment and in response to determining that the history matching output for every sector model satisfies the tolerance threshold, the full simulation grid by merging the plurality of sector models. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining whether the history matching process has been performed for all time segments of the one or more distinctive time segments; and 
 in response to determining that the history matching process has not been performed for all time segments of the one or more distinctive time segments, performing the history matching process for at least a second time segment of the one or more distinctive time segments. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the full simulation grid includes a three-dimensional simulation grid. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing image analysis and compression includes performing a discrete cosine transform technique. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing image analysis and compression includes performing a pattern matching process to establish the one or more no-flow boundaries of the one or more drainage volumes. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sector models includes at least one of: a matrix porosity model, a matrix permeability model, a fracture porosity model, a fracture permeability model, a saturation model, a rock type model, or a fluid region model. 
     
     
       8. A system comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions; and 
 at least one processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, wherein when the at least one processor executes the computer-executable instructions the at least one processor is configured to perform operations comprising:
 determining one or more distinctive time segments of fluid recovery of a reservoir by analyzing a production history of the reservoir; 
 generating, for a first time segment of the one or more distinctive time segments, one or more streamlines on a full simulation grid corresponding to the reservoir by performing one or more reservoir simulations; 
 generating, for the first time segment, a plurality of grid regions along one or more no-flow boundaries of the one or more drainage volumes; 
 executing, using a grid and sector module, a model-splitting phase that splits the full simulation grid along the one or more no flow boundaries corresponding to each of the one or more drainage volumes; 
 generating, for the first time segment, a plurality of sector models corresponding to the plurality of grid regions based on a splitting of the full simulation grid executed using the grid and sector module; 
 concurrently performing, for the first time segment, a history matching process corresponding to a time phase on each of the plurality of sector models; 
 generating, for each sector model of the plurality of sector models, a history matching output in response to performing the history matching process; and 
 comparing, for the first time segment and for each sector model of the plurality of sector models, the history matching output for that sector model to a tolerance threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
 determining, for the first time segment and based on the comparing, whether the history matching output for every sector model of the plurality of sector models satisfies the tolerance threshold; and 
 reconstructing, for the first time segment and in response to determining that the history matching output for every sector model satisfies the tolerance threshold, the full simulation grid by merging the plurality of sector models. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , the operations further comprising:
 determining whether the history matching process has been performed for all time segments of the one or more distinctive time segments; and 
 in response to determining that the history matching process has not been performed for all time segments of the one or more distinctive time segments, performing the history matching process for at least a second time segment of the one or more distinctive time segments. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the full simulation grid includes a three-dimensional simulation grid. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 8 , wherein performing image analysis and compression includes performing a discrete cosine transform technique. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 8 , wherein performing image analysis and compression includes performing a pattern matching process to establish the one or more no-flow boundaries of the one or more drainage volumes. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sector models includes at least one of: a matrix porosity model, a matrix permeability model, a fracture porosity model, a fracture permeability model, a saturation model, a rock type model, or a fluid region model. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 determining one or more distinctive time segments of fluid recovery of a reservoir by analyzing a production history of the reservoir; 
 generating, for a first time segment of the one or more distinctive time segments, one or more streamlines on a full simulation grid corresponding to the reservoir by performing one or more reservoir simulations; 
 generating, for the first time segment, a plurality of grid regions along one or more no-flow boundaries of the one or more drainage volumes; 
 executing, using a grid and sector module, a model-splitting phase that splits the full simulation grid along the one or more no flow boundaries corresponding to each of the one or more drainage volumes; 
 generating, for the first time segment, a plurality of sector models corresponding to the plurality of grid regions based on a splitting of the full simulation grid executed using the grid and sector module; 
 concurrently performing, for the first time segment, a history matching process corresponding to a time phase on each of the plurality of sector models; 
 generating, for each sector model of the plurality of sector models, a history matching output in response to performing the history matching process; and 
 comparing, for the first time segment and for each sector model of the plurality of sector models, the history matching output for that sector model to a tolerance threshold. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 determining, for the first time segment and based on the comparing, whether the history matching output for every sector model of the plurality of sector models satisfies the tolerance threshold; and 
 reconstructing, for the first time segment and in response to determining that the history matching output for every sector model satisfies the tolerance threshold, the full simulation grid by merging the plurality of sector models. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 determining whether the history matching process has been performed for all time segments of the one or more distinctive time segments; and 
 in response to determining that the history matching process has not been performed for all time segments of the one or more distinctive time segments, performing the history matching process for at least a second time segment of the one or more distinctive time segments. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the full simulation grid includes a three-dimensional simulation grid. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein performing image analysis and compression includes performing a discrete cosine transform technique. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein performing image analysis and compression includes performing a pattern matching process to establish the one or more no-flow boundaries of the one or more drainage volumes.